Certain connectors for coaxial cable which are commercially available, include a coupling nut assembled to the outer conductive shell which threadedly couples with the outer conductive shell of a mating connector to bring together and retain the connectors in an assuredly mated condition to interconnect a coaxial cable to another like cable or to an electrical apparatus or the like. The connector includes an inner contact or inner conductor within a dielectric sleeve all within the outer conductive shell. The inner contact is electrically engageable with a contact terminated onto the signal conductor of the coaxial cable, which is disposed within an insulative jacket, all within an outer cable conductor. Certain coaxial cable has a semirigid outer conductor such as of copper alloy, and the outer conductive shell of the connector is commonly soldered to the semirigid conductor; the center conductor of the cable includes an end section extending forwardly from the cable end and is commonly received into and mated with a rearward socket section of the inner contact of the connector. The coupling nut is secured to the outer conductive shell in a manner permitting rotation thereabout but is stopped from axial movement therealong; the coupling nut is rotated about the first connector to become fully threaded to the mating connector, incrementally drawing the mating connector toward the first connector and its mating face firmly against the mating face of the first connector for the complementary inner and outer conductors to become electrically connected.
One particular such coaxial connector is sold by AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, PA under the designation SMA Plug Connector and having Part No. 413071-1, matable with an SMA Bulkhead Jack such as Part No. 228642-2. In this connector assembly, the coupling nut is secured about the front section of the outer conductor and includes an inwardly directed flange at its rearward end which defines a forwardly facing surface opposing a rearwardly facing stop surface of a collar of the outer conductor to establish a forward stop. A crescent clip or C-clip is secured to the outer conductor, seated within an annular groove into the central section just rearwardly of the rearward end of the coupling nut, to define a forwardly facing surface opposing the rearward surface of the coupling nut to establish a rearward stop. An inwardly directed annular flange of the outer conductor provides a seat for the apertured rearward end of the dielectric sleeve containing the inner contact, and the rearward socket section of the inner contact is recessed within the apertured rearward end of the dielectric sleeve and just forwardly of the inwardly directed flange. The rearward section of the outer conductor includes a large bore adapted to receive inserted thereinto an end of the semirigid outer conductor of the cable, for soldering which is commonly performed manually.
It is desired to provide a simpler assembly procedure for a coaxial connector having a coupling nut retained thereon, for termination of semirigid coaxial cable.
It is also desired to simplify the soldering procedure for termination of the semirigid outer conductor of the cable to the outer conductive shell of the connector.